The new Microsoft Band 2 is available now for pre-order

The release of the Microsoft Band 2 was announced on October 6. It is a Bluetooth 4.0 (low energy) activity tracker that has continuous heart rate monitoring to track your heart rate, calorie burn, and sleep. It also provides tracking data for the number of steps taken, running, biking, golfing, or working out and has Guided Workouts that “provide more variety with exercise prompts right on your band.” The Microsoft Band 2 tracks data with the use of 11 sensors: Optical heart rate sensor, 3-axis accelerometer/gyro, Gyrometer, GPS, Ambient light sensor, Skin temperature sensor, UV sensor, Capacitive sensor, Galvanic skin response, Microphone, and Barometer. With the addition of the barometer, users are now able to track elevation changes when biking or running. All tracked data may be viewed using the Microsoft Health web dashboard or the Microsoft Health app. Additionally, you can receive alerts for emails, texts, calendar events, and calls. You can also set reminders and take notes using voice commands via Cortana.

The updated Microsoft Band 2 has a 1.26 x 0.50 inch curved, full-color AMOLED touch display (320 x 128 pixels), Gorilla Glass 3, and works with Windows Phones (8.1 or later), Android phones (Android 4.4 or later), and iPhones (iPhone 5 or later running iOS 8.1.2 or later). The battery lasts for 48 hours during normal use and requires a proprietary charging cable and 1.5 hours to fully charge. The Microsoft Band 2 is available now in three sizes (small, medium, and large) for pre-order from the Microsoft Store for $249.99 and will ship by October 30. Please visit the Microsoft Store for more information.

I'm currently working on a review of the Fitbit Charge 2. The Charge 2 is an updated version of the Fitbit Charge HR that I reviewed last year. It combines the smaller sized wrist wearable looks with the features of the Fitbit Surge. Stay tuned for my review coming soon.